Hadith relates that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said everything has a pinnacle and Surah Al Baqarah is the pinnacle of the Qur’an and it has a verse which is the chief of all verses; it is the Ayatul Kursi. Another Hadith relates that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said that if a person reads ten verses of Surah Al Baqarah before going to sleep Satan does not visit his house till morning and one of these verses is Ayatul Kursi.

 

Huzur explained that this does not entail a mere recitation of the ten verses is required. It means that one reads them carefully and thoughtfully, analyses one’s self, gauging how much does one put them in practice and then pledges to make pious changes in oneself. This is what would keep the Satan at bay. Huzur said the ten verses cited in the Hadith include the first four verses of Surah Al Baqarah. These verses illustrate the pious and practical life of a believer, then, there is Ayatul Kursi and two of its adjoining verses that cite Divine attributes and finally the last three verses of Surah Al Baqarah. Huzur said although his discourse in today’s Sermon would be on Ayatul Kursi he would read an extract of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) expounding the first four verses of Surah Al Barqarah. [Below is the published translation of the extract Huzur read out].

 

‘One should ponder over the first verse, namely: I am Allah the All-Knowing. This is the Perfect Book. There is no doubt in it. It is guidance for the righteous. It will be observed how nicely and beautifully and succinctly God Almighty has furnished the answer to the objection raised.

 

First reference is made to the Author of the Holy Quran and His Grandeur and Majesty are indicated. It is said: I am Allah the All-Knowing; that is to say, I, Who Am All-Knowing and All-Wise, Whose knowledge is not matched by the knowledge of anyone else, am revealing this Book. Then the greatness of the Holy Quran is referred to and it is said: This is the Perfect Book; that is to say, this is a grand and sublime Book which derives from Divine knowledge. It is established with regard to it that its source and spring is the Eternal Being of the All-Wise. By referring to it as The Book, God Almighty has indicated that this Book derives from the knowledge of that Being with high attributes, Who is Matchless and Peerless and Whose perfect knowledge and minute mysteries are very far from the limits of human sight.